Timed Writing Assignment: Tuesday, May 26th
Today, you will write an expository essay.
Your job is to create a FIVE paragraph essay in an 84 minute time period. You will use literature references from short stories, novels, and/or excerpts we read throughout the year.
You are all required to include one reference to an online resource you also found within this time frame.
Read all directions carefully, multiple times. You may use scratch paper, or copy and paste the checklists below into a word document to use simultaneously as a guide while you generate your essay.
Essay Requirements Checklist
(These should all look familiar to you because they are requirements that have been developed this year)
Macro-Structures
- 5 Paragraphs - Introduction, Body Paragraphs, Conclusion
- Introduction - Funnel It: General to Specific
- Universal Statement - this is the "Big Idea, not referring to the topic, not prompt dependent
- Background Information - Qualify the meaning of leadership, serves as a bridge between the universal statement and the thesis statement
- Thesis statement - use the word "because", incorporate the prompt here
- Topic Sentences - clearly support the thesis statement
- PowerWriting - used in all body paragraphs, depth of ideas, logical support
- Citations - included in each body paragraph, provide logical support to overall meaning
- Explanatory Statements - follow each citation to flesh out how the citation supports your assertion(s)
- Conclusion - Lennuf It: Specific to General
- Conclusion's First Sentence - thesis statement restated
- Conclusion's Concluding Sentence - "loops back" to the Big Idea presented in your universal statement, releases the reader with a call to action or an idea to ponder
Micro-Structures
- Writing Tools - intentional sentence variety used throughout
- Capitalization - proper nouns, beginning of sentences, titles
- Punctuation - apostrophes, quotations (short stories, citations)
- Formatting - 12 point font, double spacing, complete heading, 1 inch margins
- Word Choice - mature word choice, specific descriptors, "a lot" is not used
- Comparisons - analogies or metaphors used appropriately
Reminders
- Answer the prompt.
- Identify a "big idea"in the universal statement and weave references to this throughout your essay.
- Answer the prompt.
- Use persuasive appeals to make reader care about your thoughts.
- Answer the prompt.
- Thesis statement, topic sentence, and thesis statement restated (in conclusion) can be read one after the other and create the structure of a logical P1, P2, P2, P2, P1
- Answer the Prompt.
Did I already say... answer the prompt? :-)
Got Questions?
If you are unsure of what is being asked of you at any time, ask questions for clarification. I can't write your sentences for you, but I can help you better understand the requirements, the prompt, and the task of this writing assignment.
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